Tube splicing apparatus



Jan. 31, 1939. a c o s 2,145,607

TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Original Filed Marqh 28, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l ZSnventor Gepr e B. Nichols (Iktornegs Jan. 31, 1939. G. B. NICHOLS 2,145,607

TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Original Filed March 28, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZSnventor George B. Nichols 8g Jan. 31, 1939. G. B. NICHOLS 2,145,607

TUBE SPLICING APPARATUS Original Filed March-28, 1931 4 Sheets-$heet 4 ZSnventor Geor e B. Nichols Ctttorneg Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES TUBE SPLICIN G APPARATUS George B. Nichols, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Firestone Tire a Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application March 28, 1931, Serial No. 528,020; Divided and this application January 19, 1933, Serial No. 652,450

8 Claims.

This invention relates to tube splicing apparatus, and more especially it relates to mechanism for butt-splicing tubes of plastic unvulcanized rubber composition, such as inner tubes for pneu- 5 matic tires.

The chiefobjects of the invention are to provide improved spliced tubes; and to provide improved apparatus for making such tubes. Other objects will be manifest as the specification prol ceeds.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial Number 526,020, filed March 28, 1931, now Patent No. 2,074,485 of March 23, 1937.

0f the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, in its preferred form, in inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus, 20 as viewed from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of one of the work-supporting members, and the work therein, parts being in section.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail view through one of the work-supporting members, and the work therein, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view through two work-supporting members, and the work therein showing the splicing of the latter.

Figure 6 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of the finished work, a part being broken away.

Figure 7 is a sectional detail view through a work-supporting member of modifled construction, and the work therein.

Figure 8 is a sectional detail view through two 01' the modified work-supporting members, and the work therein showing the splicing of the latter. 40 Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of the apparatus comprising mechanically operated work supports.

Figure 10 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 9 as viewed from the left thereof.

Figure 11 is a section on the line il-Il of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings, I 0 is a pedestal support upon which is mounted a bracket II that extends laterally from the top of the pedestal, said bracket having its upper face formed with a dove-tail slideway in which rides a slide or carriage II which may project beyond the free end of the bracket. The slide i2 is formed at its outer end with a pair of upright walls l3, it which are spaced apart longitudinally of the slide and are connected to each other by reinforcing strips M on opposite sides of the slide. A double-acting fluid pressure cylinder III is mounted at one end upon a bracket II on the top of the pedestal II and has its piston rod I! connected to the near wall I! of the slide it, the arrangement being such as to permit reciprocation of the slide i! from the full line position shown in Figure 1 to the broken line position of the same flgure. Preferably the fluid inlet-and-outlet pipes II, II of the cylinder II communicate with a solenoid-operated three-way operating valve (not shown) and a switch II in the electrical circuit of the solenoid is mounted upon the pedestal II, and has an operating lever 20 in the path of a cam or lug 2| mounted upon the end of the slide I2, the arrangement providing means for automatically effecting the return or outward movement of the slide after it has moved inward upon manual actuation of the solenoid switch.

A shaft 22 is mounted upon the slide it with its ends secured in the respective walls I! thereof, and a pair of plates 23, 23 are iournaied or hinged upon said shaft, and in normal inoperativeposition rest against the respective reinforcing strips ll. Projecting from the outer face of each plate 23 is a lever arm II, the free end of which is connected by a link 25 to a yoke or end-casting 26 of a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 21. The latter is positioned below the slide l2 and is suspended therefrom by its piston rod 28, and fluid inlet-and-outlet pipes 28, 2O communicate with the cylinder chamber at opposite sides of the piston 30 thereof, the arrangement being such that the admission of pressure fluid to either end of the cylinder causes it to move up or down along its piston rod, with the result that the plates 23 are moved together or apart, the alternative positions of the respective parts being best shown in Figure 2.

Mounted upon the upper edge. of the plates 13 are respective work-holding clamps II, II which are identical in structure so that a detail description of one will suflice for both. The work to be treated consists of a length of unvulcanized rubber tubing 32 which preferably is produced by an extruding machine and has the natural flat shape shown in the drawings, there being sufficient lubricant, such as soapstone dust, upon the interior face of the tube to prevent adhesion of its flattened walls. However, the apperatus is not limited to the splicing of extruded tubes, and may be advantageously used for splicing tubes produced by other known methods.

Each work-holding clamp it comprises a lower die-holder 323 secured to the plate 28 by bolts 35, at, an upper die-holder hinged at 38 to the lower die-holder 33 at one end thereof, a latch 37 hinged at 3i to the opposite end of the lower die-holder, and a latch-lever t9 pivotally mounted on the latch at til and provided with a cam portion 4i adapted to engage the free end of the upper die-holder 35 for forcing the latter toward the lower die-holder. The upper and lower dieholders 33, 35 and the latch 31 are suitably recessed to receive respective die-sections 42, 43, and M which are formed with respective lateral flanges 42 43= and 44 that lie on the lateral faces of the die-holders and latch, and the die sections are suitably recessed to receive and closely confine the flattened tube 32. As shown at 45 in Figures 4 and 5, the inner corner of the workreceiving recess in the die sections is slightly rounded.

Mounted upon the bracket it over the pedestal IB' is aninclined or overhanging bracket-46 to the upper end of which is secured a bracket 47 on which is mounted a motor 48, the latter depending from the under side of the bracket 41 and being obliquely disposed with relation to the horizontal. Que end of the motor shaft, the lower end, as iviewed in Figure l, carries a cupshaped cutterlli, having a sharp peripheral margin, and 'a moistening swab 50 embraces the re spective' sides of the cutting edge of the cutter for applying a suitable rubber solvent, such as gasoline, thereto.

The solvent is stored in a reservoir 5| which;

is supported upon the bracket 41, and-a tube 52 conducts the solvent from the reservoir to the swab.

In the operation of the apparatus, the parts occupy the inoperative positions shown in full lines in Figure 1, preferably with the motor constantly nmning. A length of flattened rubber tubing 32 constituting the work. is mounted in the device by clamping its respective end portions in the respective clamps 3!, the ends of the tube projecting slightly beyond the inner lateral faces of the die sections, as is shown in Figure 2. The forward end of the cylinder i5 is then charged ,to move the slide l2 to the right as viewed in Figure l, with the result that the end portions of the tube 32 are carried past the cutter 49 and severed close to the die-flanges 42, 43, leaving but a few thousandths of an inch of tube projecting therefrom. As soon as the slide [2 and mechanism thereon reach the position shown injbroken lines in Figure l, the lug 2| on the slide operates the switch lever 20 to automatically reverse the flow of fluid to the cylinder 15, with the result that the slide is moved back to its original, full-line position.

Next. the upper end of the cylinder 21 is charged to cause the cylinder to rise to the broken line position shown in Figure 2 whereby the links 25 and levels 24 are actuated to swing the plates 23 on their pivot 22 toward each other and thereby to bring the work-holders 3i forcibly into juxtaposition. The arrangement is such that the slightly projecting ends of the tube 32 are brought forcibly together in face to face relation as is shown in Figure 5, the rounded portions 45 of the die sections permitting a slight displacement of surplus rubber to form a thickened ridge 53 on the tube over the splice. The freshly cut endfaces of the tube 32 naturally adhere strongly to each other, and the adhesion is further strengthened by the tacky condition of said end-faces caused by the rubber solvent on the cutter 49.

answer The work-holders 3! are then opened, the spliced tube removed therefrom and the operations repeated as described.

Referring now to the modified work-supporting structures shown in Figures 7 and 8, each workholding clamp comprises a lower die-holder 33 and an upper die-holder 35 which members are mounted and manipulated in the same manner as the corresponding elements of the preferred embodiment. The die-holders 33 35 and a latching member (not shown) are suitably recessed to receive respective die sections 60, 8t, and the latter are suitably recessed to receive, support, and closely confine the flattened rubber tube 32 constituting the work. Mounted upon the inner lateral faces of the die sections 60, 61, are respective metal plates 62, 63 which extend like flanges onto the adjacent lateral faces of the die-holders and latch, and the exposed faces of the plates 62, 63 have cushions of resilient rubber 64, 65 respectively adhered or vulcanized to them. Said cushions are trapezoidal in section, having flat work-engaging faces, tapered or oblique opposite faces, and flat lateral faces as shown.

In operation, the work is trimmed or severed close to the lateral faces of the cushions in the same manner as in the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, and then the work-holders are brought toward each other so that the respective ends of the work, and the lateral faces of the respective cushions 64, 65 are brought forcibly together, as is clearly shown in Figure 8. The resilience of the cushions 64, 65 causes them to yield under impact, and thus the end faces of the work are pressed strongly together, and slight displacement outwardly of surplus stock permitted so as to produce a thickened external ridge or seam at the splice. ,This ridge disappears during the subsequent vulcanization of the work in a mold.

In the modified construction shown in Figures 9,10, and 11, each work-holding clamp 3" comprises a lower die-holder 33 suitably secured to a plate 23 and an upper die-holder 35 hinged at 36 to the lower die-holder at one end thereof. The lower die-holder 33 is formed with a rearwardly extending arm or bracket 66, the free end of which is upwardly turned, and pivotally attached to said upturned portion at 61 is a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 68. The pivot 61 and axis of the cylinder 68 are horizontally aligned with the pivot 36 when the work-holder is closed. The outer end of the piston rod 69 of the cylinder 68 is provided with a yoke 10 that is pivotally connected at H to one end of each of a pair of links 12, 13, the other end of the link 12 being pivotally connected at 14 to the bracket 66, and the other end of the link l3 being pivotally connected at 15 to a rearwardly projecting car 16 formed on the upper die-holder 35". Dies i1, 18 are mounted in the respective die-holders 33 35 The arrangement is such that when the front end of the cylinder 68 is charged, retraction of the piston rod 69 causes the upper die-holder 35 to rise about its pivot 36*, the respective inter connected parts assuming the positions shown in broken lines in Figure 9 of the drawings. Charging of the rear end of the cylinder 68 reverses the movement of the parts and puts them in the positions shown in full lines in the drawings. In other respects this modified apparatus is the same as the preferred embodiment, al-

though the die-holders may be of the modified construction shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Experience has shown that tube splices made in the manner and by the apparatus described are fully as strong as other portions of the tube, and the splice is practically invisible after the tube has been vulcanized in a mold in the usual manner.

Other modifications of the apparatus are possible within the scope of the appended'claims, which are not limited wholly to the specific construction shown or exact procedure described.

What is claimed is:

1. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of means for supporting and closely confining the respective tube ends in flattened condition in deposition, a cutter, and means for so moving the tube-end-supports past the cutter as to sever material from said tube-ends progressively from one lateral margin thereof to the other.

2. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of means for supporting and closely confining the respective tube ends in flattened conditions in determinate spaced-apart positions, a rotary cutter, means for effecting relative movement of the cutter and tube-end supports to remove a layer of material from the tube ends, progressively from one lateral margin thereof to the other and close to said confining means, and means for effecting such relative movement of the tubeend-supports as to bring the tube ends forcibly into end-to-end engagement, the tube-end supports being so constructed as to permit an upsetting or displacement of the tube-stock exteriorly thereof.

3. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of a slide, a pair of clamm thereon for supporting the respective end portions of a tube in flattened condition in determinate spaced-apart position, a rotary cutter, and means for reciprocating the slide to carry the tube-ends into and out of engagement with the cutter progressively 110m one lateral margin of the tube-ends to the her.

4. In tube splicing apparatus, the combination of a slide, a pair of clamps pivotally mounted thereon adapted to flatten the respective end portions of a tube and to hold them in determinate spaced-apart position, a rotary cutter. means for reciprocating the slide to carry the tube-ends into and out of engagement with the cutter, to sever material from said tube ends progressively from one lateral margin thereof to the other, and means for effecting pivotal movement of the clamps on the slide to force the tube ends into end-to-end engagement.

5. A machine for splicing an inner tube comprising a pair of clamps adapted to completely flatten, confine and grip the respective end portions of a tube close to the ends thereof, the inner marginal edges of said clamps being beveled, and means for bringing together said clamps for butting together and uniting said tube ends as they are held in confined condition by said clamps, whereby the rubber tube walls at the ends of the tube will be upset to fill out the space provided by the beveled surfaces of the margins of the clamps.

6. A machine for splicing an inner tube comprising a pair of clamps adapted to flatten and confine the respective end portions of a tube, the face portions of said clamps being formed of resilient rubber, and means for bringing together said clamps for butting together and uniting said tube ends as they are held in confined condition by said clamps, whereby the confined tube ends may be upset by distortion of the rubber faces of said clamps in directions away from said tube.

7. A machine for splicing an inner tube comprising rubber clamping jaws for flattening and holding flat the ends of the tube, and means for bringing said rubber clamping jaws forcibly into engagement for butting together the flattened tube ends, whereby the rubber clamping laws may be distorted outwardly permitting upsetting of the walls of the tube adjacent the splice.

8. Apparatus for joining the ends of lengths of rubber which comprises a cutting means having a revolving cutting edge, means for clamping said ends to be joined, means for moving said clamping means relatively to said cutting means transversely to said lengths into progressive engagement by said cutting means to cut the ends of said lengths transversely from one side to the other, and means for moving said clamping means transversely away from said cutting means and axially to the lengths toward each other to bring said ends into abutment.

GEORGE B. NICHOLS.

.OBRTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,115 607.

GEORGE s. NICHOLS.

January 51, 1939.

It is hereby certified that, error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, firstcolumn, line 16-17, claim 1, strike out the words "tube ends in flattened condition in deposition" and insert instead and portions'ofe tube in determinate position; line 23', claim 2, for "conditions" read condition;- and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform'to the record of the, case in the Patent Or fice.

Signed and sealed this l th day. of April, A.D. 1959.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Gunniesioner of Patents. 

